Communication network system and communication method thereof

Abstract

Disclosed is a communication network system, which includes a cluster and a base station. The cluster includes plural communication devices installed underwater and a wired connection connecting at least two of the plural communication devices. The base station performs acoustic communication with at least one of the plural communication devices.

1. A communication network system, comprising:
 a cluster including a plurality of communication devices installed underwater and a wired connection connecting at least two of said plurality of communication devices; and 
 a base station which performs acoustic communication with at least one of said plurality of communication devices. 
 
     
     
       2. The communication network system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said cluster includes a first communication device and a second communication device, 
 said first communication device includes a first terminal transmission unit, which sends information to said second communication device, and 
 said second communication device includes a second terminal sending and receiving unit, which sends said information received from said first communication device to said base station. 
 
     
     
       3. The communication network system according to  claim 2 , wherein
 said first communication device further includes a first terminal control unit, which detects a state of communication between said first communication device and said base station, and a first terminal sending and receiving unit, 
 in case that said state of communication is judged to satisfy a first condition, said first terminal sending and receiving unit sends said information to said base station, and 
 in case that said state of communication is judged not to satisfy said first condition, said first terminal transmission unit sends said information to said second communication device. 
 
     
     
       4. The communication network system according to  claim 2 , wherein
 said cluster further includes a relay device, which is wiredly connected to said first communication device and to said second communication device, 
 said base station includes a base station sending and receiving unit, which sends a probe signal to said first communication device, 
 said first communication device further includes a terminal signal processing unit, which generates first receiving information, based on said probe signal, 
 said first terminal transmission unit sends said first receiving information to said relay device, and 
 said relay device includes a relay device control unit which selects said second communication device from said first and second communication devices, based on said first receiving information. 
 
     
     
       5. The communication network system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said cluster includes a first communication device and a second communication device, and further includes a relay device, which is wiredly connected to said first communication device and to said second communication device, 
 said relay device includes a relay device control unit, and 
 in case that said second communication device begins to send second information to said base station, during a period from when said first communication device begins to send first information to said base station and until when said first communication device finishes sending said first information, said relay device control unit selects a communication device from said first and second communication devices, which performs communication with said base station. 
 
     
     
       6. The communication network system according to  claim 5 , wherein
 said relay device control unit selects said communication device to perform communication with said base station, based on degree of urgency of said first information and degree of urgency of said second information. 
 
     
     
       7. The communication network system according to  claim 5 , wherein
 said relay device control unit selects said communication device to perform communication with said base station, based on an amount of said first information and an amount of said second information. 
 
     
     
       8. The communication network system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said cluster further includes a relay device, which is wiredly connected to at least one of said plurality of communication devices, 
 said base station includes a base station sending and receiving unit, which sends a probe signal to said communication device, 
 said communication device includes a terminal signal processing unit, which generates receiving information, based on said probe signal, and a terminal transmission unit, which sends said receiving information to said relay device, 
 said relay device includes a relay device control unit which controls sending time, on which said communication device sends information to said base station. 
 
     
     
       9. The communication network system according to  claim 8 , wherein
 said cluster further includes a first communication device and a second communication device, 
 said first communication device sends information, to be sent to said base station, to said second communication device, 
 said second communication device sends said information received from said first communication device to said base station, and 
 said relay device control unit controls first sending time, on which said first communication device sends said information to said base station, and second sending time, on which said second communication device sends said information to said base station, so that said information from said first communication device and said information from said second communication device arrive at the base station at the same time. 
 
     
     
       10. The communication network system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said cluster includes a first communication device and a second communication device, 
 said first communication device includes first terminal transmission means, which sends information to said second communication device, and 
 said second communication device includes second terminal sending and receiving means, which sends said information received from said first communication device to said base station. 
 
     
     
       11. The communication network system according to  claim 10 , wherein
 said first communication device further includes first terminal control means, which detects a state of communication between said first communication device and said base station, and first terminal sending and receiving means, 
 in case that said state of communication is judged to satisfy a first condition, said first terminal sending and receiving means sends said information to said base station, and 
 in case that said state of communication is judged not to satisfy said first condition, said first terminal transmission means sends said information to said second communication device. 
 
     
     
       12. The communication network system according to  claim 10 , wherein
 said cluster further includes a relay device, which is wiredly connected to said first communication device and to said second communication device, 
 said base station includes base station sending and receiving means, which sends a probe signal to said first communication device, 
 said first communication device further includes terminal signal processing means, which generates first receiving information, based on said probe signal, 
 said first terminal transmission means sends said first receiving information to said relay device, and 
 said relay device includes relay device control means which selects said second communication device from said first and second communication devices, based on said first receiving information. 
 
     
     
       13. The communication network system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said cluster includes a first communication device and a second communication device, and further includes a relay device, which is wiredly connected to said first communication device and to said second communication device, 
 said relay device includes relay device control means, and 
 in case that said second communication device begins to send second information to said base station, during a period from when said first communication device begins to send first information to said base station and until when said first communication device finishes sending said first information, said relay device control means selects a communication device from said first and second communication devices, which performs communication with said base station. 
 
     
     
       14. The communication network system according to  claim 13 , wherein
 said relay device control means selects said communication device to perform communication with said base station, based on degree of urgency of said first information and degree of urgency of said second information. 
 
     
     
       15. The communication network system according to  claim 13 , wherein
 said relay device control means selects said communication device to perform communication with said base station, based on an amount of said first information and an amount of said second information. 
 
     
     
       16. The communication network system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said cluster further includes a relay device, which is wiredly connected to at least one of said plurality of communication devices, 
 said base station includes base station sending and receiving means, which sends a probe signal to said communication device, 
 said communication device includes terminal signal processing means, which generates receiving information, based on said probe signal, and terminal transmission means, which sends said receiving information to said relay device, 
 said relay device includes relay device control means which controls sending time, on which said communication device sends information to said base station. 
 
     
     
       17. The communication network system according to  claim 16 , wherein
 said cluster further includes a first communication device and a second communication device, 
 said first communication device sends information, to be sent to said base station, to said second communication device, 
 said second communication device sends said information received from said first communication device to said base station, and 
 said relay device control means controls first sending time, on which said first communication device sends said information to said base station, and second sending time, on which said second communication device sends said information to said base station, so that said information from said first communication device and said information from said second communication device arrive at the base station at the same time. 
 
     
     
       18. A communication method for controlling communication between a plurality of communication devices and a base station, the communication devices and the base station being installed underwater, the method comprising:
 performing wired communication between at least two of said plurality of communication devices; and 
 performing acoustic communication between at least one of said plurality of communication devices and said base station. 
 
     
     
       19. The communication method according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 sending information from a first communication device to a second communication device, which is wiredly connected to said first communication device; and 
 sending said information received from said first communication device to said base station. 
 
     
     
       20. The communication method according to  claim 19 , further comprising:
 detecting a state of communication between said first communication device and said base station; 
 sending said information from said first communication device to said base station, in case that said state of communication is judged to satisfy a first condition; and 
 sending said information from said first communication device to said second communication device, in case that said state of communication is judged not to satisfy said first condition. 
 
     
     
       21. The communication method according to  claim 19 , further comprising:
 sending a probe signal from said base station to said first communication device; 
 generating first receiving information on said first communication device, based on said probe signal; and 
 selecting said second communication device from said first and second communication devices, based on said first receiving information. 
 
     
     
       22. The communication method according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 selecting a communication device to perform communication with said base station from a first communication device and a second communication device, the second communication device being wiredly connected to said first communication device, in case that said second communication device begins to send second information to said base station, during a period from when said first communication device begins to send first information to said base station and until when said first communication device finishes sending said first information. 
 
     
     
       23. The communication method according to  claim 22 , further comprising:
 selecting said communication device to perform communication with said base station, based on degree of urgency of said first information and degree of urgency of said second information. 
 
     
     
       24. The communication method according to  claim 22 , further comprising:
 selecting said communication device to perform communication with said base station, based on an amount of said first information and an amount of said second information. 
 
     
     
       25. The communication method according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 sending a probe signal from said base station to one of said plurality of communication devices; 
 generating receiving information on said communication device, based on said probe signal; and 
 controlling sending time, on which said communication device sends information to said base station. 
 
     
     
       26. The communication method according to  claim 25 , further comprising:
 sending information to be sent from a first communication device to said base station, to a second communication device; and 
 controlling first sending time, on which said first communication device sends said information to said base station, and second sending time, on which said second communication device sends said information to said base station, so that said information from said first communication device and said information from said second communication device arrive at the base station at the same time. 
 
     
     
       27. A communication device, installed underwater and connected wiredly to another communication device and performing acoustic communication with a base station, comprising:
 a terminal transmission unit, which sends information to said another communication device; and 
 a terminal sending and receiving unit, which sends information to said base station. 
 
     
     
       28. The communication device according to  claim 27 , further comprising:
 a terminal control unit, which detects a state of communication with said base station, wherein 
 said terminal sending and receiving unit sends said information to said base station, in case that said state of communication is judged to satisfy a first condition, and 
 said terminal transmission unit sends said information to said another communication device, in case that said state of communication is judged not to satisfy said first condition. 
 
     
     
       29. The communication device according to  claim 28 , further comprising:
 a terminal signal processing unit, which generates first receiving information, based on a probe signal sent from said base station, wherein 
 said terminal transmission unit sends said first receiving information to a relay device, which is wiredly connected to said terminal and said another terminal. 
 
     
     
       30. A relay device, wiredly connected to a first communication device and a second communication device and performing acoustic communication with a base station, the first and second communication devices and the base station being installed underwater, the first and second communication devices and the relay device forming a cluster, the relay device comprising:
 a relay device control unit, which controls at least one of said first and second communication devices, based on information from said controlled communication device. 
 
     
     
       31. The relay device according to  claim 30 , wherein
 said relay device control unit receives first receiving information, which said first communication device generates, based on a probe signal sent from said base station, and selects said second communication device, based on said first receiving information, and 
 said second communication device receives information sent from the first communication device and sends said received information to said base station. 
 
     
     
       32. The relay device according to  claim 30 , wherein
 in case that said second communication device begins to send second information to said base station, during a period from when said first communication device begins to send first information to said base station until when said first communication device finishes sending said first information, said relay device control unit selects a communication device to perform communication with said base station from said first and second communication devices. 
 
     
     
       33. The relay device according to  claim 32 , wherein
 said relay device control unit selects said communication device to perform communication with said base station, based on degree of urgency of said first information and degree of urgency of said second information. 
 
     
     
       34. The relay device according to  claim 32 , wherein
 said relay device control unit selects said communication device to perform communication with said base station, based on an amount of said first information and an amount of said second information. 
 
     
     
       35. The relay device according to  claim 30 , wherein
 said relay device control unit receives receiving information, which said a communication device included in said cluster generates based on a probe signal sent from said base station, and 
 controls sending time on which said communication device sends information. 
 
     
     
       36. The relay device according to  claim 35 , wherein
 said first communication device sends information, to be sent to said base station, to said second communication device, 
 said second communication device sends said information received from said first communication device to said base station, and 
 said relay device control unit controls first sending time, on which said first communication device sends said information to said base station, and second sending time, on which said second communication device sends said information to said base station, so that said information from said first communication device and said information from said second communication device arrive at the base station at the same time. 
 
     
     
       37. A recording medium, to record a program, which makes a computer execute a process to control communication between a plurality of communication devices and a base station, the communication devices and the base station being installed underwater, the process comprising:
 a step for performing wired communication between at least two of said plurality of communication devices; and 
 a step for performing acoustic communication between at least one of said plurality of communication devices and said base station.